Hungary’s Prime Minister-elect Péter Magyar said that any individual subject to an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant would be detained if they enter Hungarian territory, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Peter Magyar, who is set to end Viktor Orban’s 16-year reign after his historic election win earlier this month, while speaking at a news briefing in Budapest, said he had “made this clear” to Netanyahu, who has been wanted over alleged war crimes in Gaza since 2024.
Speaking after his election victory, Magyar confirmed that Hungary would remain a member of the ICC, reversing the withdrawal process initiated under outgoing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. He said his government would comply with international obligations and enforce ICC arrest warrants “without exception.”
“If someone is a member of the ICC and a person who is wanted enters the territory of our country, he or she must be detained,” Magyar told reporters, adding that “every state and head of government is aware of these laws.”
The ICC issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in 2024 over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the context of the Gaza conflict. The court said there were reasonable grounds to believe they bore criminal responsibility for actions, including the use of starvation as a method of warfare and other alleged violations.
The warrant also includes a Hamas military commander, though Israel has stated that he was killed in an airstrike.
Magyar also clarified that despite legal obligations under the ICC, he had previously extended invitations to several world leaders, including Netanyahu, for commemorations marking the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian revolution. He said those invitations were made in a diplomatic context and did not override Hungary’s legal commitments.
The ICC has urged member states to cooperate fully with its warrants, stressing accountability for alleged international crimes and the importance of protecting victims and ongoing investigations.
The situation places Hungary at the center of a potential diplomatic and legal confrontation, balancing international legal obligations with high-profile geopolitical relationships.
